A Tribute to Our Manongs and Manangs
/This poem was written by Alex S. Fabros Jr., a retired Philippine American Military History professor who was one of our honorees in last year's tribute to manongs and manangs. Aside from being a historian, Alex is a Vietnam War veteran and a farmworker in the mid-'60s. His series on working in the farms of California's Central Valley is currently running in Positively Filipino. His report on how his life (and that of his squad mates) has been affected by Agent Orange also ran in PF: https://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/how-vietnam-war-vets-wrestled-with-the-shadows-of-the-toxic-orange-mist
Standing (L-R): Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer, Daly City Councilwoman Juslyn Manalo, Joel Garcia, Reuben Seguritan, Robert Ragsac, Gloria Caoile, South San Francisco Councilwoman Flor Nicolas, Maria Banatao, Mona Lisa Yuchengco. Seated (L-R): Amy Agbayani, Cynthia Bonta, Michael Dadap and Dado Banatao (Photo by Minerva Amistoso)
Nietes-Little built a sanctuary of song,
Linda kept our stories safe with care.
Through books she made our roots endure and strong,
A sacred space where voices could repair.
Melegrito marched with memory from the past,
Jon lifted workers’ voices with his pen.
Through veterans’ cause his fight was made to last,
A medal shone for silenced, waiting men.
Garcia healed the fragile human heart,
Jorge bridged two nations with his hand.
Returning home to give his healing art,
He built new hope across his native land.
Bonta raised her children where the strikers stayed,
Cynthia turned her life to justice’ way.
Through fearless fight a legacy was laid,
A mother’s love became the workers’ stay.
Seguritan shaped the law to guard the poor,
Reuben opened doors with steady will.
Though barred from entry, still he carved a door,
A tireless guide whose fight is with us still.
Caoile bore the banner for the weak,
Gloria raised her voice to lead the line.
Through sacrifice she taught the world to speak,
Her light makes labor’s dignity divine.
Dadap strummed the soul of every song,
Michael tuned the youth to keep it true.
He taught the nation’s music to belong,
And kept the folk heart beating, strong and new.
Ragsac traced forgotten streets of old,
Robert led us back to roots concealed.
He taught us gather stories to be told,
And memory became the truth revealed.
Agbayani fought for rights denied too long,
Amy made the silenced voices heard.
Her vision turned the weak into the strong,
Her work a lasting justice in each word.
Banatao rose from fields to silicon,
Dado built the chips that shaped our day.
Yet still he gave, the dream lives on and on,
His hope for youth will light the future’s way.
Manongs and Manangs stand as guiding flame,
Their lives a bridge from struggle into grace.
Through them we honor history’s sacred name,
And see our future in their steadfast face.
Positively Filipino gave them their due,
By lifting lives whose stories must remain.
Through tribute shared, our gratitude shines true,
Their honor lives in memory’s domain.
Alex S. Fabros, Jr. is a retired Philippine American Military History professor.
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